Heat control time switch



June 29, 1943. B. LOEFFLER ETAL 2,322,850

HEAT CONTROL TIME SWITCH Filed Dec. l. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 QE SGEN@June 29,' 1943. B. LoEFr-LER x-:T A1. 2,322,850

HEAT CONTROL TIME SWITCH I I Filed Dec. 1, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR Bruna Loeffer Jbn o. Pela/n ATTORNEYS Patented June 29, 1943HEAT CONTROL TIME SWITCH Bruno Loeffler, West New York, and John S.Pelan, North Plainfield, N. J., assignors to Mack ManufacturingCorporation, Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of DelawareApplication December 1, 1939,v Serial No. 307,120

(Cl. G-34) 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to control mechanism for switches andembodies, more specifically, a time control mechanism for heater circuitswitches, particularly for circuits for controlling manifold heaterssuch as are used in certain internal combustion engines.

In the operation of engines such as Diesel engines, it is oftendesirable to heat the inletv manifold in order to facilitate starting.For this purpose, glow devices and other forms of mechanisms have beenprovided that have been connected in circuits energized uponenergization of the start.- ing motor circuit. The disadvantages of suchheater systems are that, because they-are always used in every startingoperation, they place ra load on the battery when it frequently is notnecessary and also because the greatest effect of the heater is not feltuntil some little time after the heater and starting circuit is closed,thus needlessly energizing the starting motor before its effect can beadvantageously used.

An object of the present invention is to provide a control mechanism bymeans of which a heater circuit may be controlled to utilize,eificiently, all power derived from/the battery.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the abovecharacter by means of which the heater circuit may be closed in advanceof the closing of the starting motor circuit.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a device of theabove character by means of which the length of time of energization ofthe heater in advance of the starting motor may be controlledeffectively.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear as it isdescribed in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic illustration of the wiring system used inconnection with the present invention. I

Fig. 2 is a view in section taken through the axis of adeviceconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a view in section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and looking inthe direction of thearrows. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the device of Fig.2. Fig. 5 is a front View ofthe device of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a view showing 4a modified form of control member,

Referring to the above drawings and in particular to Fig. l, a startingmotor is. shown at M and two batteries at A and B. The startingmotorcircuit is shown at 20, 2l and 21a-solenoid control switch at 23 tnd astarting switch at 24. A lighting circuit shown at 25 is connected tobat tery A and to a generator 26 for charging and lighting service.

Engine manifold heaters a., b, c, d, e and f are shown as connected incircuits with the batteries, heaters a, b and cbeing connected to bat-3l and wire 33 connects movable control contact 58 formed on the casing42.-

32 to wire B1.

A second set of contacts. 34, 36 are provided to `prevent operation ofthe starting motor M under certain conditions. To this end, stationarycontact 34 is connected tothe solenoid control switch 23 by means of awire 35 and movable contact 36 is connected to the starting switch 24 bya wire 31. If desired, an auxiliary switch 36 may. be connected acrosswires 35, 31 to permit manual control of the circuits.

A cam 38- is provided to control the contact arms-32 and 36, thefcambeing provided` with a recess 39 to open contacts 3l andN 32 and arecess40 to control contacts 34 and 36. The mechanism for operating this cam38 will now be de. scribed.

The cam 33 is mounted on a shaft 4I journaled in a casing 42. The casingisA formed4 with a chamber 43 and provided with a cover 44 secured inposition by bolts 45. Within the chamber and tting snugly therein isa'circular disc 46l keyed t0 the shaft 4| and formed-with a slot 41within which a vane 48 is slidably received. A spring 49 normally urgesvthe vane outwardly and thevane is formed with a bleed port 50.

A` plate 5l is mounted between thedisc46 and outer chamber wall andformed with a ball check valve 52 which permits fluid to owin acounterclockwise direction as viewed infFig. 3` but prevents iluid ow inthe opposite direction. A suitable fluid such as oil is introduced intothe chamber 43 and is used in a fashion presentlyto be described, tocontrol the operation of the contacts.

Turning of the shaft 4I is -accomplished manually by a plate 53 havinga. handle 54.v and a pointer 55 that movescver a dial 56.- A spring 51is connected .between theplate 53 and a boss This spring normally urgesthe plate and shaftintothe off position shown in Fig. 5.

Upon the cover 44 is provided` a plug 59 `by means of which the chamberis lled with oil and the cover also carries the stationary contacts 3I`,34 and the pivoted contacts 32, 36. Contact A32 is formed with a detentadapted toride on the surface of cam 38 and Contact 35 is also formedwith a detent 6I to engage the cam. A supplemental chamber 62 isprovided .to by-pass quickly, the oil retarding return motion of thevane 48 in order that the movable contact 32 may break its circuitsuddenly.

In operation, when the engine is to be started under conditions makingdesirable a heating of ing from time to time. chamber 43 is selected sothat its viscosity will Avary with the temperature. 4be utilized and,inasmuch as its viscosity varies with its temperature, if theatmospheric conditively great.

the manifold, the handle is moved to turn the pointer 55 over the scale5E to the point on the scale representing the time during which suchheating is to be effected. During this motion, oil is drawn through thecheck valve 52.

The handle is then released and the oil between the valve 52 and vane 48bleeds through the port 50 under the pressure of the spring 5l.

Upon initial movement of the handle, the detent 60 rides out of therecess 39 and closes the contacts 3l, 32 to energize the heater and thecontacts remain closed until the vane reaches the auxiliary chamber 62,at which time the oil is suddenly by-passed and the contact 32 snapsopen.

In order to prevent the needless operation of the starting motor whenthe required heating has not been effected, the recess 40 is formed toopen contacts 34, 36 if more than a predeter- -mined heating isrequired. The length of the before described and the starting switch mayi vbe closed, causing the starting motor to be enerm gized automaticallyafter the predetermined heating has been accomplished.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6, the plate 53 is moved so that thepointer 55 engages lug 10, regardless of the operating conditions eXist-The fluid within the For example, oil can tions are such that littleheating is required, the

viscosity will be relatively low and the cil will.

pass freely through the restriction and permit the handle to be returnedto the off-position with little delay, for example, say, 15 seconds. If,

however, the atmospheric conditions are such that more heat is requiredfor starting, the oil in the chamber 43 is cold and its viscosity rela-When the handle 54 is turned to the limit in a counterclockwisedirection, the

" high viscosity of the oil will cause a greater time to elapse duringthe travel of the pointer 55 to the 01T position.

A further feature of this invention resides in the fact that the tensionof spring 51 can be varied to vary the action of the spring and cor-I'respondingly, the bearing of the viscosity of the medium due totemperature changes upon the operating characteristics of themechanisms.

It will thus be seen that only one motion is required to select and putin motion the desired 'heating operation and that this motion, afteronce being completed, insures that, after the predetermined period, theheater will be disconnected.

While the invention has been described with specific reference to theaccompanying drawings, it is not to be limited save as defined by theappended claims.

We claim:

1. A switch mechanism comprising a `casing having a substantiallycylindrical chamber, an oscillatory member in, coaxial with and of lessitl diameter than said chamber forming an arcuate space therebetween forreceiving a liquid, a vane projecting from said member across said spaceinto sealing engagement with said casing, a check valve in said spacepermitting iiow of liquid therethrough in one direction, resilient meansfor rotating said member in the opposite direction, means forming apassage for slow escape of liquid from between said check Valve and saidvane, means in the path of said vane ici-ming a second passage for rapidescape of liquid around said vane as said vane approaches a normal position, a pair of switches movable into open and closed positions, and acam movable with said oscillatory member for closing one of saidswitches and opening the other switch when said vane is out oi saidnormal position and lor opening said one switch and closing said otherswitch when said vane is in normal position.

2. A switch mechanism comprising a casing having a substantiallycylindrical chamber, an oscillatory member in, coaxial with and of lessdiameter than said chamber forming an arcuate space therebetween forreceiving a liquid, a chec valve interposed between the ends of saidarcuate space permitting flow of liquid therethrough in one direction, avane projecting from said member into sealing engagement with saidcasing, resilient means urging said oscillatory meinber to rotate in adirection opposite to said one direction, a handle for rotating saidmember in said one direction, means forming a groove in an edge of saidvane permitting liquid to leal: slowly by said vane, a recess in saidcasing communicating with said space and of greater length than thewidth of said vane, permitting liquid to escape rapidly around said vaneas the latter passes over said recess, a switch on said casing, and cammeans connected to and oscillatable with said member for closing saidswitch upon rotation of said member by said handle in said one directionand opening said switch when said vane passes over said recess.

3. A switch mechanism comprising a casing having a substantiallycylindrical chamber, an

oscillatory member in, coaxial with and of less diameter than saidchamber forming an arcuate space therebetween for receiving a liquid, acheck valve interposed between the ends of said arcuate space permittingow of liquid therethrough in one direction, a vane projecting from saidmember into sealing engagement with said casing, resilient means urgingsaid oscillatory member to rotate in a direction opposite to said onedirection, a handle for rotating said member in said one direction, agroove in an edge oi said vane permitting liquid to leak slowly by saidvane, a recess in said casing communicating with said space and ofgreater length than the width oi' said vane, permitting liquid to escaperapidly around said vane as the latter passes over said recess, a pairof switches on said casing, and cam means connected to and oscilla-tablewith said member for closing one of said switches and opening the otherupon rotation of said member in said one direction and opening said oneswitch and closing said other switch when said vane passes over saidrecess.

BRUNO LOEFFLER. JOHN S. PELAN.

